Knock on wood, but as of now, it looks as if the Timberwolves will have their full roster of players available for the regular season opener on Wednesday against the Trail Blazers. That can allow fans to have an early glimpse of what Chris Finch’s rotation will look like, at least to start the season, when the squad is at full strength. While Minnesota has remained healthy thus far, other teams in the Western Conference can’t say likewise.
Most Western Conference teams have at least one key player out
When Minnesota heads to Portland for the regular season opener, the Wolves will be meeting up with a team that doesn’t have everyone available. Now Damian Lillard probably shouldn’t even count, because he signed with the Trail Blazers when it was known that he was likely to miss the entire year. Portland will also be without third-year guard Scoot Henderson due to a torn left hamstring.
In the Wolves’ second and fifth games, they are taking on the Lakers. LA is without LeBron James, as he has been diagnosed with sciatica on his right side. It was recently reported that the 40-year-old hopes to return in mid-November, well after the first 2 games against Minnesota (October 24 & October 29).
Other notable players in the Western Conference expected to not be available for the start of the regular season include:
Mavericks: Kyrie Irving
Warriors: De’Anthony Melton
Rockets: Fred VanVleet (out for season)
Grizzlies: Zach Edey, Brandon Clarke, Scotty Pippen Jr.
Pelicans: Kevon Looney, Dejounte Murray
Thunder: Nikola Topic
Kings: Domantas Sabonis, Keegan Murray
Spurs: De’Aaron Fox, Jeremy Sochan
That may not even be the whole list (for example, Ja Morant may not be available for the Grizzlies). While there are still 82 games to be played, to begin the year, the Timberwolves have the advantage in the health department over the majority of their Western Conference counterparts.
Donte DiVincenzo's injury scare in summer
There was a bit of a scare over the summer when it was announced that Donte DiVincenzo would not be suiting up for Italy in EuroBasket. He apparently re-aggravated a left toe injury, one that sidelined him for 19 games last season.
The fear turned out to be unnecessary as DiVincenzo was good to go all preseason. It potentially could be something to keep an eye though, but let’s hope it’s not a recurring ailment.
Very few stars in the game can rival Anthony Edwards’ durability. The 24-year-old has appeared in 79 games each of the last three seasons, meaning he has only missed nine games over that time.
In a Western Conference loaded with good-to-great teams, the top could come down to which teams are able to stay the healthiest throughout the season.